


Recuerdos Perdidos

by oddraco



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Family Death, Memory Loss, Muggle Reader, Reuniting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:41:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22083538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oddraco/pseuds/oddraco
Summary: She could see the pictures with her own eyes, right there in her hand. She knew they were real. It was her in them, plain as day. But who was the boy next to her... and why did it hurt so much to try and remember?
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Reader
Comments: 19
Kudos: 41





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The news had hit you like a truck. With just those seven words you felt everything around you stop, you couldn’t even breathe let alone speak. It was like all the sound around you washed out, replaced with the deafening hum of silence.

“It’s your parents…There’s been an accident”

-

Walking up the familiar stone steps to your childhood home you felt a bittersweet smile rise on your face. You recounted a simpler time as you studied the aging wood of the porch. What you wouldn’t give to just relive one of those days. To cherish it in a different way… at this moment it was all you desired.

Stepping into the house you couldn’t help but feel how overwhelming the emptiness was. It’s like the house knew it was empty… but how could it?

Fighting back the urge to cry for the millionth time you were greeted by the comforting sight of your younger brother. He was currently sat on the couch looking through an old family album. The look on his face as he eyed each photo told you all you needed to know. Growing up you weren’t that close, but it wasn’t as though you were on bad terms. The age difference just kept you apart most of the time. However, you knew that he wasn’t one to show when he was sad. At least other people wouldn’t recognize. But his intense gaze and silence told you everything.

“Hey,” you said coming to sit next to him, glancing at the album in his hands. This album, in particular, was of your family's trip to Ecuador. You smiled a little remembering how at the time you were particularly moody. It was a mixture of the fact that you were only 14(your early teen years were particularly angsty) and the fact that the humidity did hell to your hair.

“Hey” was all he replied with as he shut the album quickly, he wasn’t going to show you he was vulnerable… you knew it.

“So… I figured you could start packing up in the kitchen and I’ll start in the attic” you suggested, purposely giving him the kitchen as there weren’t too many tear-jerking memories in there.

He agreed with a silent nod of his head as he stood up and made his way into his designated room.

You watched him disappear around the corner and waited a few more moments before heading into the attic. You figured it wouldn’t be too hard since everything up there was already boxed away. You just had to go through those boxes and deem what was worth keeping really.

As you made your way up the worn-out pull downstairs you chuckled softly at the memory of how terrified you were of the attic as a child. You were convinced that there was some pale girl with long black hair living up there, a rational fear considering your early interest in Japanese horror movies.

As you stood in the dimly lit room you scanned the area calmly. Reaching up you pulled the cord to the uncovered lightbulb, the light coming in from the small window just wasn’t enough. The space lit up significantly more and you hummed in content as you set your eyes on the first box. It was unlabeled so you figured it was a good place to start.

Kneeling down and ripping the box open you were surprised to find that it was full of old Christmas decorations. Tinsel and ornaments shoved into the box completely unorganized, your dad definitely packed this one. Digging a little deeper your hands felt the soft texture of Christmas stockings. A smile grew on your face as you pulled them out. Both yours and your brothers were handmade by your mother and as you hold them in your hands you couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down your face again.

“Fuck” you rasped out while wiping away the tears harshly.

Mentally deciding that this box was an automatic keep you quickly refolded the top and moved it towards the entrance to the attic.

Turning back to the corner you started in you noticed a box with your name on it. You scrunched your face in confusion. Not because you didn’t have any boxes up here but because all the ones that you did were labeled in your mother's handwriting. She was notorious for taking charge when it came to packing and organization. So why would there be a box here labeled with your name… in your handwriting.

You carefully came to sit down beside it, pulling it between your legs.

You noticed that this box was tightly taped shut unlike most of the others. But you had brought a box cutter for just this circumstance. Pulling it from your back pocket you carefully began to open the box. Upon opening it you found the contents rather peculiar. It was full of random things you didn’t quite recognize right away. An old journal, a white envelope that appeared to be quite full, a worn looking hoodie, and a smaller brown box taped securely shut. The longer you studied it the more you became confused.

Picking up the journal you flipped it open to find the first entry to be a short story you had written years ago. Glancing at the date you finally pieced together what this box was. This was a box you sent back home from your summer in England with your grandparents. You were 18 at the time and fresh out of high school. You remember begging your parents to let you spend the three months before college started with your grandparents in a new country. They had lived there all your life but the only time you saw them before that summer was when they came out to visit your family in the U.S. it was no secret that they were wealthy so their trips were actually quite frequent. However, that summer you insisted on being the one to visit.

It had been five years since that summer so naturally, you didn’t remember much but what you did remember was pleasant. The hoodie was something you were almost daily there as the weather was cloudier than you expected. The smaller box… you were unsure. Same with the envelope.

Deciding to focus on the envelope first you took it in your hands. Carefully ripping it open you peeked inside to discover that it was full of photos. That was… not what you were expecting.

Taking out the bunch you began to flip through them. They were all pictures of your summer in England. You smiled as you recounted the memories behind each one.

Some were of you posing in various places of their house obviously caught mid activity, a grin on your face. A few were of your grandparents, taken by you, smiling cheerfully. You continued to thumb through it. A few scenery shots, your grandparent’s adorable calico cat, and then you saw something you didn’t recognize.

It was a photo of you… and a boy.

This was someone you didn’t recognize. Not one memory came to light as you stared at the photo.

It was taken from a selfie angle, clearly, by you, you were smiling wide and he was smirking slightly as he looked at you and not the camera.

“What the hell” you whispered to yourself starting to grow a little scared at our inability to remember who this was.

You flipped to the next photo and felt your stomach turn.

There he was again.

In this photo though you noticed that you were both holding hands as you threw a peace sign up with your free hand. The strange boy beside you was giving a lopsided smile as his free hand stuck in his dress pant pocket. This photo was either taken with a timer or by someone else.

It was clear by looking at it that this boy, whoever he was, was more than a friend.

So how on earth could you not remember him? Nothing made sense and the more you stared at the photos the more your head began to hurt. Your vision blurred and it felt as though someone was squeezing your brain.

You winced as the pictures fell from your hand and back into the box.

What was happening?

Why was this happening?

You couldn’t make sense of anything.

The pain was becoming so unbearable that held your head and turned over into a fetal position, waiting for it to go away as silent tears streamed down your face.

-

When it seemed like the pain had faded completely you sat back up and peered at the box next to you. Deciding that it was best just to pack it back up and save the headache for later.

You really didn’t want to think about it anymore… not now.

Folding the box closed without much more thought you shoved it to the side by the other box at the entrance.

Eyeing it for only a second more you wiped away the last traces of wetness on your face before turning back to your corner of unopened boxes.

-

By the time you’d gone through the entire attic, you’d noticed that the sun was beginning to set. It had taken a while but you’d made great progress. You felt satisfied overall, all thoughts of the strange forgotten memories shoved to the very back of your mind.

Walking back down the stairs you headed to the living room where you were greeted by the tired-looking sight of your brother.

“Good place to stop for today, yeah?” you asked with a smile.

He only sighed before looking at you with a judging look.

“It took you the whole damn day to sort through the attic. Whereas I completed the kitchen, living room, and garage” he told you clearly unimpressed by your slow pace.

You only laughed in response before shrugging your shoulders.

“Don’t question my methods young one” you smiled before heading towards the door, you turned slightly to face him again "Say... can I ask you something?" the nervous tone to your voice shifting the mood immediately.

"Sure... go ahead?" he answered, very obviously confused at where this was going.

"Remember that summer I spent at Nana and Papa's five years ago?" you asked slowly.

He raised a curious brow before answering you as slowly as you had asked. "Yes, why?"

Here goes nothing, you thought.

"When I came back... do you remember me mentioning anybody? Someone that I may have met there? A boy maybe?" you asked, scared by your own words.

For a moment your brother said nothing as he stared at you with an expression of worry. He could tell that you were thinking about something unnerving and if his answer was what you feared you could see why it was all the more alarming.

"I don't... remember you bringing anyone up... is something going on?" he questioned taking a step closer.

The situation was seeming to become more serious by the second and for some reason you didn't want him to be involved. This was your mystery to solve. It wouldn't help any to have him worry. "Hmmm, It must have been a different trip then. You know me, I have too many boy toys to keep track of," you said with a grin while wiggling your eyebrows. you hoped that this effort of comedic relief would deter his curiosity.

He rolled his eyes at you dramatically before mumbling something about you being an ass. Well at least he wasn't suspicious anymore.

"Well I think we've done enough damage for today," you said with a chuckle while shuffling to the door. “same time tomorrow?” you asked.

He looked at you for a moment, seeming to think about something before visibly shaking it off. “You bet” he replied with a chuckle.

-

In the weeks that followed you and your brother successfully managed to sort through and move out the entire house. Taking the few boxes of your own belongs back to your separate places.

After the will reading, you attended a small and neatly organized funeral. Both of your parents were cremated as you knew that would be their wishes.

After everything was said and done your brother was on a plane back to his dorms across. Hopefully the few weeks away from college hadn’t hurt his grades too badly. Luckily for him, he was only a freshman. Without your parents help tuition would be harder but the football scholarship and small inheritance should help him. If need be you wouldn’t mind stepping in to help as well.

-

When you settled back into your apartment you eased onto your small sofa and begrudgingly looked at the small collection of boxes you’d brought back from your parents’ house. You knew you had to unpack and sort them soon or else they’d collect dust there forever.

You stood up and stretched as a yawn escaped your lips. Trudging over to the boxes you began to stack them according to where they should go in makeshift organization. As you did so you were once again faced with the five-year-old box full of mysteries.

You picked it up and set it onto your kitchen counter, eying it warily.

Against your better judgment, you opened it again slowly.

With timid fingers, you grabbed onto the two photos again. Still splayed out messily in the box where you dropped them.

Studying them once again you began to feel the aching in your head as you stared at the mystery boy’s face.

It seemed like the harder you tried to remember him the more your brain tried to stop you.

But why?

Nothing was making sense and you were afraid you were going to go crazy.

You knew you’d never find answers yourself… not when you couldn’t remember a thing.

There was only one place where you could possibly find the answers you were looking for, and thanks to the small fortune your parents left behind in their wills, it would be no skin off your back to make the expense.

-

You shouldn’t have felt as nervous as you were sat in your cramped airplane seat. But you couldn’t help but agonize over what you might find when you got to England. After all… if you didn’t know anything, would your grandparents?

You didn’t know the answer. But this was your best bet.

Besides, if all else fails… at least you’ll get a vacation away from everything going on back home. All the pain that seemed to have settled permanently into your life like a thick gray smog.

Maybe this could be your chance to breathe.

-

When the taxi stopped in front of your grandparent’s large house in Wiltshire, England you felt like there was a weight on your shoulders.

All the uncertainty was weighing on your mind in a way that you couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

Making your way up the long narrow path to the house you hadn’t seen in so many years felt partially surreal. The last time felt so long ago now that it hardly seemed real.

When you arrived at the door you gave it three hard knocks; knowing very well that your grandparents were quite hard of hearing at their old age.

You stood there at the doorstep rocking on your heels as you clutched onto your large duffle bag. Considering the visit was so last minute you didn’t really put much thought into what you brought with you. You weren’t even sure how long you were staying seeing as you just bought a one-way ticket there.

Just as you started to get lost in thought the door opened wide in front of you.

“Hello there, dear! Oh, how I’ve missed you! Please come in, come in.” your grandma beckoned you from the doorway, stepping aside to make room for you. “We were so happy to hear that you were coming”.

You walked in with a smile.

“Hi Nana, I’ve missed you too. Things have been well I take it?” you asked politely.

“We’ve been just swell. Although I suppose we can’t say the same for you… I’m so sorry we couldn’t make it to the funeral but it was just such short notice I hope you understand” she spoke to you softly as you saw her eyes water in sadness.

They may have been your parents but it was their daughter and son in law as well. The loss hit them in a way you probably couldn’t even begin to understand.

“I understand, Nana. Don’t worry, it was a small service anyway. Private… like they would’ve wanted” you said with a sad smile.

She simply nodded at you lightly with a forced smile on her face. She was being strong for your sake. The sorrow in her eyes gave it away clear as day.

As you walked through to the living room you couldn’t help but notice that even after five years barely anything had changed. It was almost refreshing to see them living just as they were before. Even down to the same four porcelain frog figurines lined neatly atop the fireplace mantel.

Something about the sight brought a warm feeling to your chest.

-

You had been sat on the all too familiar plastic-covered sofa when the smell of roasted chicken began to waft into the room.

You smiled, knowing that your grandpa made it just for you, he remembered that it was your favorite.

“Something smells good” you commented while walking into the kitchen.

“Ah, there you are dear. Go have a seat in the dining room, I’ll bring it out shortly” your grandpa replied with a toothy grin.

You headed into the dining room to find your grandma already sat at the table, intently reading over a rather hefty looking book.

Taking your seat in your usual place to her right you glanced at the title. It looked to be another Stephen King novel. They were her favorite after all.

You recalled that she owned all the books, gleefully purchasing each one as they were published. It was an interest that she’d passed down to your mother.

The thought was bittersweet now but it would be impossible to count all the times you’d caught your mother, nose deep in a Stephen King novel growing up. She loved them dearly and with an aching in your heart, you realized that she’d never be able to read a new one again.

“Dinner is served!” your grandfather exclaimed while strolling into the dining room with several plates of food all carefully laid out on a platter. Your painful thoughts were easily blown away as you chuckled at the sight. He looked like a personal chef rather than the owner of the house.

Eating with them again after so long felt nice. You’d of course seen them a few times in the five years after your visit but being here in their house felt different of course. It was so uniquely them that the feeling of it all couldn’t really be replicated any other way.

You talked about how they’d been doing, where they’ve traveled to lately, how their garden was coming along, and current events in England. It was always interesting to hear their take on things.

In turn, they, of course, asked you all about how your life was going as well. Asking about work and any potential male suitors (as family tends to do). You laughed with them as you recounted your last failed attempt at love which had lasted all of two months. The guy, to be blunt, was a real bum and you weren’t yet at the age where you felt like mothering something.

The topic of boyfriends being brought up started to get you thinking once again. About the thing, you were so desperately trying to figure out… the whole reason you had come here so abruptly, to begin with.

The boy in those photos… this is where you’d find the answers if there were any.

You decided that after dinner you would confront your grandmother about it casually. Hopefully, she could shed some well-needed light on the situation.

-

Once you heard the sink start to run in the kitchen you knew that now was the time to confront your grandma.

“Hey, Nana need any help with the dishes?” you asked while walking over with a smile, already pulling up your sleeves before she answered.

“Oh, how kind of you to offer. Of course, you can dry.” She said while gesturing to the neatly folded hand towel in the corner.

You picked it up and began to dry the freshly cleaned dinner plates; wondering how exactly you were going to casually ask about this mystery boy.

Well, better to go all-in than dance around the question, right?

“Say, Nana… when I was here five years ago, did I have any friends that you knew about?” you asked, too nervous to turn and face her.

She continued to scrub in silence and for a brief moment, you wondered if she’d heard you at all. But then she spoke.

“No, not that I can remember. You spent most of that summer in the house with us or out exploring around the property.” She said in a curious tone. “Why do you ask?”

Your stomach twisted in knots as you processed this information. Would no one be able to solve this mystery?

“No reason… it’s just been so long a few of my memories are a little fuzzy. I just thought if there had been someone it would be nice to say hello again.” You said quickly realizing that it wasn’t a very good excuse. “But, now that you mention it I really didn’t meet anybody huh? I was very to myself in those days”. You laughed, trying to brush it off.

You turned to her and saw that she was studying your face, clearly questioning something. But to your relief, she didn’t press it further.

-

That night as you lay in bed, pictures in hand you began to feel overly restless. What if this was a dead end after all? Would you just have to go back home as clueless as when you left?

The thought left a scowl on your face.

But that’s when you noticed it.

In the background of one of the photos.

There was a humongous house, dark and gloomy in appearance.

It didn’t look very welcoming and was barely visible in the background of the photo but to your amazement, you had seen this house before.

You were certain of it.

But where?

You didn’t have to think much longer before it came to you.

You had seen it in the cab on the way here. In fact, it was the last house before you reached your grandparents. Meaning that it was the neighbor…

Given how large each property was though, this didn’t mean the house was just a few feet away… but it wasn’t very far.

Glancing out the window you noticed how dark the sky had become, it was sure to be a little chilly as well. But how could you simply forget about it now… not when you finally had a lead.

Quickly throwing on of the few hoodies you had brought with you, you began to quietly make your way through the house. You knew very well that despite your age, you’d be scolded for sneaking around at this time of night.

When you safely made it outside the house with no detection you clutched the small photo in your hands as you began to walk in the direction that you came in the cab, knowing that it would lead you to your destination.

-

After walking for what felt like hours you finally saw the huge building come into full view. Rather than call it a house you would be inclined to say that it was actually a mansion.

Tall, dark, and looming. It stood surrounded by a vast property. Whoever lived here must be wealthy beyond your imagination that much was for sure.

As you stared at the house you brought the picture up in the air. Glancing from the image there to the one in front of you.

This was definitely the same place.

But now what?

You stared at the mansion, studying it closely. It was like you were completely transfixed and before you knew it there was that pain again.

Clutching your arms in an effort to redirect the pain you desperately glanced around. There was no one in sight, no one to see you like this. That was a relief.

Looking back at the picture you saw a flash of something in your mind.

A single white rose.

Your brain felt like it was in agony. Desperately trying to keep you out. But you focused on it harder.

Then came another flash.

A small brown box with beautiful carvings of flowers and swirls decorated all around it.

More pain.

You fell to your knees as the world around you began to blur. No sound could be heard except an ear-piercing buzz that ripped through you like a bullet.

Then you saw something else.

It was a stick of some kind… held in a pale hand. Pointed right at you. The person holding it was completely blurred in your memory. But the object was crystal clear.

But what was it?

The three images flashed through your mind continuously, each time they did so the pain grew worse and before you could even feel it coming… you collapsed completely.

Everything around you going pitch black as you lay on the cold wet ground.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
When you felt yourself begin to wake the first thing you noticed was how cold your skin was. Your body felt stiff and frozen as you began to rise slowly; a whimper escaping your lips as you did so.  
Taking a look around you realized that it was still pitch black outside. You assumed that not much time had passed since you’d fainted.  
You moved to rest your hands and knees while taking a few deep breaths before attempting to stand up again.  
This whole thing was starting to freak you out a little bit. Nothing made sense and yet there was an obvious case of cause and effect here.  
You couldn’t claim to be a detective, you were certainly no Nancy Drew… and you also couldn’t pretend like you were some kind of genius. But it certainly didn’t take one to put two and two together here.  
The blonde boy in the photos, this mansion, and the three images that flashed through your mind before fainting. They all had something in common and they all had something to do with you. Like some kind of repressed memories that your mind was keeping you from knowing about. Hence the pain and fatigue. But even though that all made sense to an extent…. You’d certainly never heard of anyone experiencing such intense physical pain when trying to remember something. Usually, they just wouldn’t be able to remember, right?  
You didn’t know why your body was reacting this way. You’d only connected the dots so far but unfortunately, there were too many missing pieces.  
So what would you do next? What should you do next, is probably a better place to start. Part of you wanting to just rush to the door of this creepy looking mansion and demand some answers. But, you knew logically that that wasn’t a good game plan. You were sure that whoever lived there wouldn’t appreciate such a rude awakening.  
Considering that the sight of this place caused the pain to come back, you could assume that the boy in the photos most likely lived here. But the question was did he still live here? Or like you was he only visiting?  
The only thing you could really be sure of at this moment was that any longer out here in the cold and you were sure to get sick. That would be a setback that you really didn’t want to deal with right now.  
Giving one last glance back to the house as you stood up, you turned to head back to your grandparent’s house.  
-  
Shuffling back in your home you felt immense relief come over you as the warm air enveloped your cold tired body.  
Your body was screaming at you to just collapse right there on the old plastic-covered couch and let sleep take over. However, you knew it would be best to take a hot shower before going to sleep. After all, you were quite dirty, you noted while glancing down at your clothes.  
Walking into the bathroom that was attached to your bedroom you began to undress slowly. Recalling what had transpired out there you couldn’t help but feel a little scared about what you might find out next.  
As you stepped into the shower and let the hot water wash over your body you let out a long and exhausted sigh. You recalled the three images you’d seen before fainting.  
A white rose. The detail of it in your memory was so vivid as though you’d stared at it for hours once before.  
You weren’t sure what this white rose meant to you specifically but you did know their meaning in general. A single white rose was a symbol of love. As though to say “you are the only one for me”.  
The thought of what that could be implying brought heat to your cheeks. How is it possible that there was a whole romantic period of your life that you couldn’t even remember? God, this was frustrating.  
Then there was the second image. A small brown box with delicate carvings. There wasn’t much you could figure out about that one. You wish you could see what was inside it but given that it was only a fragment of a memory… there was no way to know. For now at least.  
The last image was by far the most perplexing to you. A long smooth stick held in a pale hand pointed right at you. Was it a weapon of some kind? You couldn’t understand how something small like that could do any physical damage though, it wasn’t even sharp. Really what it reminded you of was a magician’s wand. Especially with the way it was being held. But that… that didn’t make any sense.  
You laughed out loud a little in disbelief at your ridiculous thought. A magician’s wand, really? What was someone casting a spell on you? How silly.  
Well, whatever it was it seemed to be significant enough to breakthrough your repressed memories.  
Shutting off the word you slipped out and began to towel off. Wiping the fog away from the mirror you looked at your reflection absentmindedly.  
In the morning… you were going to go back.  
-  
When you awoke from your deep sleep you glanced lazily to your bedside clock. The time read 11:30 am. A bit of a late start to the day but considering what happened last night you weren’t surprised to have slept in so late.  
By the time you were finished getting ready and heading down the stairs, you realized that you were actually alone in the house. That was a bit unusual.  
Heading into the kitchen you saw a note stuck to the fridge.  
“Y/N,  
I hope you don’t mind that we let you sleep in a bit. I’m sure the jet lag must have gotten to you. Help yourself to the rolls and cut fruit on the counter. Your grandfather and I popped out to the town for a bit and should be back no later than 4 pm. See you then!  
Love, Nana”  
You smiled at the note before taking a few pieces of bread and eating them quickly. You didn’t have any time to waste. Only a few hours before they’d be back and you knew what you had to do in the meantime.  
Clutching the pictures in your hand you made your way back to the mansion.  
-  
The whole walk there you debated on what you would say to anyone you may come in contact with. Would it be best to just tell the truth about what was happening or would that just make you look crazy? Maybe it would be better just to take it slow and start by befriending whoever was around. Assuming that someone was around at all. But given that it was such a large house someone was bound to be home right?  
Hopefully…  
Your questions were soon answered though as you drew closer to the house. Standing outside the gate was a man. You couldn’t see his face but you could see his figure.  
He was stood straight, back to you as he stared up at the sky.  
You glanced up yourself wondering what he could be looking out but found nothing interesting to be seen. Maybe he was just lost in thought.  
Once you were stood about 10 feet behind him he seemed to notice your presence because in a rather dramatic show of things he spun around to face you.  
Now that you could see his face you noticed that he didn’t look too happy to see you.  
He appeared to be about your age, very pale skin, and strikingly blonde hair.  
“Can I help you with something?” he asked, annoyed.  
Wait. There was something about this man. Something familiar.  
You stared at his features and replayed the sound of his voice in your head.  
Then there it was again.  
The pain.  
“Hey, are you alright?” he asked while stepping a little closer. Clearly able to see the way you were doubling over in pain so suddenly.  
At the sound of his voice, you felt the torment double in intensity. You fell to your knees in front of him as tears began to form in your eyes.  
Suddenly you could hear a voice in your head.  
It was his, calling your name and laughing.  
But when you looked at him in front of you he wasn’t speaking at all… only staring in shock.  
“W-who are you?” you asked weakly before collapsing completely, darkness once again closing in on you.  
-  
When you woke up you felt… warm.  
Blinking a few times to let your eyes adjust you took in your surroundings.  
You were laying in a large bed in a very large room. The interior was dark but expensive in taste, to say the least.  
Where were you?  
You remembered feeling the pain again while outside in front of that man. You must have fainted after that. So how did you get here?  
Slowly sitting up in the bed you threw your legs off the side and hopped onto the floor. Someone had taken the liberty of removing your shoes and placing you in bed. Most likely had to carry you all the way here as well. But who? The man from outside?  
Reaching into your jacket pocket you pulled out the photos again, studying them for the millionth time. This was definitely the same person. He had been right there in front of you and yet you couldn’t even speak to him without falling unconscious. It was as if your mind became completely overwhelmed with his sudden presence.  
You had to see him again. You were so close to finally getting some answers and you mentally cursed yourself for fainting at such a crucial moment.  
Just when you were about to reach the bedroom door it opened on its own.  
Your hand stopped midair and to your surprise, it was the man from before standing right in front of you.  
“Oh good you’re awake,” he said while giving you a gentle once over.  
You only nodded slightly before retreating slowly back into the room.  
He walked in and shut the door behind him. The air between the two of you was awkward and judging by the way he was glancing at you timidly… he knew who you were.  
Enough of this nonsense. You needed answers and fast before you pathetically passed out again.  
“N-not to sound rude or anything but I’d like to know exactly who you are.” You started trying to muster up as much of a tough guy voice as you could “For some reason I know you, I just can’t remember how and it hurts every time I try to.”  
The man looked at you with a slightly shocked expression before a smirk quickly replaced it.  
“I’m glad to see that you haven’t changed much,” he said with a small chuckle while taking a seat in the chair located next to a large dresser.  
Following his movements closely with your eyes, you chose to make your way over and sit on the bed again. At least this way if you fainted again it would be a soft landing.  
“So you do know me then,” you said feeling a little bit nervous.  
“I could never forget you, Y/N” he replied with a sad smile.  
His words sounded so sweet and yet his face was so sad.  
“Well, it seems that I’ve forgotten you. But it doesn’t make sense as to how… all I know is I found some pictures with you in them. But I don’t even remember your name” you frowned.  
“It’s Draco… Draco Malfoy” he said after a moment of deliberation.  
“Draco Malfoy” you repeated softly as a stabbing pain rushed through your head again.  
”Does it hurt?” he asked, looking over you with concern.  
“Incredibly so” you laughed trying to lighten the mood a little.  
“I’m afraid that’s my fault…” he admitted while casting his eyes away from yours.  
“What do you mean?” you asked, brows furrowed in confusion.  
“I suppose it won’t hurt to tell you now. You did confront me rather boldly after all.” He laughed “I honestly never thought I’d see you again though… at least I was hoping I wouldn’t”  
You frowned at his last words. What was that supposed to mean?  
“We met before when you came here on holiday five years ago. We became fast friends but you had quite a nasty fall just before you left. When you woke up you didn’t remember me at all and since you were leaving soon I felt it was best to keep things that way.” He told you a little too calmly. “Perhaps the pain you’re experiencing is your body remembering the impact due to facing pieces of your lost memories. That’s why I feel it may be my fault for not helping you remember before you left”  
Looking down at your lap you thought over his words carefully. Although that explanation mostly made sense… a few things didn’t add up.  
Bringing your head up to stare into his silver eyes you quickly caught on to what was happening.  
He was lying to you.  
If he was set on telling you this version of events then you were just going to test how fast he could make things up.  
“Do you mind if I ask you something then?” you asked trying not to give away that you were testing him.  
“Of course” he replied quickly, putting on a friendly smile.  
“When parts of my memories came back I saw a few images of objects flash through my mind. I was wondering if you could maybe help me to make sense of them?” you asked with a gentle smile.  
“I’ll do my best,” he said looking just the slightest bit unsure.  
“The first thing I’d like to make sense of is a rose?” you said, sitting up straighter.  
“A rose?” he asked seemingly confused.  
“Yes, a single white rose to be exact” you reaffirmed.  
Draco shifted a little in his seat as he stared back into your eyes unmoving.  
“Ah yes, I think I remember something like that. My family has a garden out back and you often liked to visit it. That must be what that’s about.” He said thinking thoughtfully.  
You studied his movements as he spoke, trying to detect any telling that he might have had. But you were coming up with nothing… maybe he was telling the truth?  
“Interesting… I did always like gardens.” You smiled at him “The next one I’m curious about is a small brown box. It had detailed carvings surrounding the outside but I don’t remember what it is or what’s inside”  
At this Draco’s face wavered for just a moment as if being overcome with emotion ever so briefly.  
“That… I, unfortunately, know nothing about, sorry” he shot you an apologetic smile.  
How interesting…  
“I see… well, that’s ok, I suppose I can’t expect you to have an answer to everything” you laughed lightly, still not buying his story. “But there is one last thing I was curious about,” you said while glancing down at his hands which rested neatly on his lap. They were rather pale.  
“Let us hope I have an answer for you on this one” he offered you up a grin, which you returned before letting out your last question. This one was sure to catch him in a lie.  
“There’s this… stick-like object. Long and smooth, clearly carved to look that way. Held in a hand that looked quite like yours. The best way I would describe this object would be to compare it to… a magician’s wand” you finished with a questioning look.  
Watching what little color he had slowly drain from his face you knew that you’d caught him in a tough spot. This reaction also confirmed your suspicion that this wand-like object wasn’t just some prop toy.  
“That… I don’t know anything about that. It must have been someone else. I’m not even sure what you’re talking about, to be honest. Such an object… I have no knowledge of it.” He told you while his brows furrowed together ever so slightly.  
He was lying to you right now. You knew it for sure. It was his hand holding the wand-like object and he obviously knew something he didn’t want to tell you. This whole thing was starting to piss you off. Why was he lying to you? What was he hiding?  
One thing was for certain. Either he told you the truth right this instant. Or you walk out and never come back. There was no point in wasting your time on somebody who didn’t even want you to remember them.  
Standing up from the bed in one swift motion you stepped towards him menacingly. You weren’t certain that he’d feel even the littlest bit intimidated by this move of power on your part but you would use the current height advantage to the best of your ability for now.  
“Listen here, Draco. I don’t know who we really were to each other or what really made me lose my memories. But I know that you’re lying to me right now. I’m not an idiot and don’t appreciate being treated as such. I know you know more than you’re letting on and I can’t understand why you’re keeping it from me. But if you have no intention of ever telling me the truth then I think I’ll just take my leave.” You huffed down at him.  
His eyes widened in surprise as he stared up at you from his seat. His mouth opened slightly as he began to search for the words to respond to you.  
“Y/N, I-I'm sorry I don’t know what you want me to say. I’ve told you all I know” he mumbled out, clearly backed into a corner.  
He was still insisting on keeping up the lies. You couldn’t really place the feeling that rushed through you as you looked down at him with disappointment. But the next thing you knew you felt the all too familiar sensation of hot tears streaming down your face.  
This was too much. Everything felt like it was crashing down on you. Pulling you under and every time you’d get a gasp of air something else would shove you back down. Why was this all happening to you?  
At the sight of you crying Draco immediately stood up and reached out a hand to you as if about to try and comfort you. But without even thinking you harshly slapped it away from you.  
“Don’t you dare touch me when all you’ve done so far is lie to me. I fly all the way here after I find some weird pictures in my parent’s attic. I thought that someone here must know what happened and why I can’t remember. But so far all I’ve gotten was a bunch… a bunch of fucking bullshit! I wouldn’t have even found those stupid pictures if my parents hadn’t died. If they were still here I wouldn’t even be bothered with trying to solve this mystery. But they’re not here! They’re gone and they’re never coming back and all I wanted was to find an answer to this one thing. When everything else in my life is falling apart I thought that maybe I could at least fix this. But I can see now… that I’ve just wasted my time here. But don’t worry cuz I’ll be lea-“you couldn’t even finish your words before you were pulled into a tight embrace.  
Your body stiffened at first from the intrusion but soon you felt yourself relaxing as you relished in the feeling of his warmth. You felt your body begin to shake a little as your cries turned into sobs. This was so frustrating. The person who caused all this was also the one who was making you feel safer than you’d felt in a while. There was something about being in his arms that felt so familiar to you.  
“Y/N, I’m so sorry. I hate myself more than anything for what I had to do to you but since that day, not a second has passed where I didn’t think of you. I did it for you, hoping that you’d live a better life away from me but in the end, I suppose it was selfish of me wasn’t it?” he whispered into your ear as he held you tightly.  
His words didn’t make any sense. What did he mean “what he had to do to me,” you thought. This was all becoming too much to handle. Your head was beginning to spin again and you felt like you had to get away no matter what. No matter how much a part of you desired to be held by him longer.  
Standing your ground you brought your hands up between your chests and pushed him away firmly.  
“None of this makes sense. Your words are contradicting each other and I can’t handle this anymore. Whatever we were to each other… whatever you supposedly had to do to me… it must not have been that significant to you seeing as you can’t even bring yourself to tell me the truth” you said to him harshly.  
He looked at you sadly but didn’t say a word.  
That’s all the confirmation you needed.  
Turning quickly you began to stalk towards the door, ready to leave Draco and all the mysteries behind you in this room forever.  
But just as you had pulled the door open you heard a desperate voice call out from behind you.  
“Y/N, please wait… please. I’ll… I’ll tell you everything” he choked out.  
You turned back to face him, carefully taking in his appearance. Looking at his face you saw just how emotional it had become.  
For once… he was being sincere.  
“Ok,” you said, silently shutting the door again and crossing your arms over your chest.  
His body visibly relaxed at this.  
“I’ll listen”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the encouragement regarding this work! I know it's just starting out but I hope that you all find it enjoyable enough. Please share any thoughts you might have with me, I love to hear from you all!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was clear to you that whatever Draco had to say, it must have been serious. Judging by the nervous gulps and tense posture, you knew he didn’t want to do this. But you deserved to hear the truth… and he must have known that much too.

“What I’m about to say may be a little hard for you to believe. But I can promise you that it’s all true.” He told you after clearing his throat. The look he gave you was so intense and focused. So even though you wanted to laugh about the notion that it would be hard for you to believe, you simply nodded your head in understanding and waited for him to continue.

“When you came here five years ago I had no intention of becoming acquainted with you in any way.” He began, talking slowly. The anticipation to hear what was to come ate away at you. “But despite all my efforts to keep you away… you never learned to quit. You were so persistent in getting to know me that eventually, I surrendered to you completely. Not just in terms of friendship…” he paused, looking into your eyes carefully.

“What do you mean?” you asked even though you already had a good idea of what he was alluding to.

“We became lovers… not overnight or anything. It wasn’t just some simple summer fling. No… it was so much more than that. I’d never let anyone in the way I let you in. I never knew I was capable of feeling so many things. It was the first time in my life that I felt truly happy” he spoke with a smile playing at his lips. 

It wasn’t easy to process his words. The fact that you had been in love with each other years ago was jarring enough. But the fact that you couldn’t remember anything about it… that was… well, it made you feel almost mournful over a past you couldn’t even recall.

A part of you wanted to reject his words outright. To call his bluff and leave this stupid mansion for good. But you knew deep down that he was telling you the truth. His eyes… the way they looked into yours. You knew they were sincere.

The way he was speaking combined with the way he was looking at you now was completely different than the man you had been talking to previously. This new version of himself that was in front of you now was so very vulnerable.

“What happened to us?” you asked, choosing your words carefully.

Draco seemed to hesitate at your question, body shifting uncomfortably as he thought of what to say.

“You found out about something that you shouldn’t have…” he spoke in a whisper. You leaned forward to hear him better, the puzzled look was visibly apparent on your face. “It was only a matter of time before you figured it out… and a ridiculous part of me even hoped that it wouldn’t matter.” He swallowed. “But... what I am… who I am… it proved to be our downfall.”

His words were so vague you felt yourself becoming upset again. He wasn’t necessarily lying to you but he was certainly avoiding key details. You couldn’t keep dancing around the subject like this. Whatever he had to say. You needed to hear it.

“Who are you then?” you asked, voice stern. “Who are you really?”

This time he didn’t hesitate to respond.

“I’m a wizard, Y/N”

The look on your face must have perfectly reflected how dumbfounded you were because he immediately started explaining it to you further.

“You mentioned regaining a memory. One of a stick-like object” he questioned rhetorically. You nodded your head anyways. “Did it happen to look like this?” he asked while reaching into the side of his coat and producing a long, thin object.

As soon as you saw it you gasped in surprise. It was the same object you’d seen in your head and as you stared at it in his hand you felt the all too familiar pain begin to bubble in your brain once again. “Yes, that’s it” was all you could manage to reply as you fought to ignore the rising pain.

“This is my wand.” He spoke flatly. “One day you saw it by accident and after that, I couldn’t keep it a secret anymore. I thought you’d be afraid of me… or even call me crazy and leave forever. I was so scared of that. But instead, you laughed and said it was amazing. You accepted it so easily and began to barrage me with endless questions about my world.” He chuckled lightly as though recalling a fond memory. “I thought for sure that you’d be hesitant to accept me for who I was… but you said…” he paused for a moment, looking up to meet your eyes before quickly shifting them away again. “Well, you reassured me that it didn’t really matter how different we were.”

Now you knew what he meant when he said you might not believe him. This was a rather hard pill to swallow. However, something in your gut was urging you to trust him. So you did.

“I believe you. But what I still don’t understand is why we had to separate. You said yourself it was because of who you are that we had to part ways. Yet you’re telling me I accepted you unconditionally?” you questioned.

“It was my family… they would never approve of such a thing and they saw to it that what we had would be eradicated with absolutely no loose ends.” He stated coldly.

So it was his family that disapproved? But why?

“What didn’t they approve of exactly?” you asked warily.

“You’re not one of us… in any way” he replied quietly.

“Because I’m not a wizard too?” you asked a little unsure.

His face twisted a little. It was clear that he was thinking about his explanation carefully.

“Not just the fact that you’re a muggle… even if you were a witch you would have to be a pureblood of high status if we were ever to be approved of” he told you flatly.

A pureblood? It was a term you didn’t hear used often in modern-day yet you could guess what it meant. Some sort of squeaky clean family tree of sorts. No mixing allowed with so-called “muggles” like yourself. But something else that he said was sticking to your brain. The word approval. It was clear ha he came from a wealthy family so you were sure that he was most likely at their mercy; careful not to displease them. But so much to the point that whatever you to had… it wasn’t even worth fighting for? He’d give it up so quickly just because they wouldn’t approve? You didn’t understand much about the social dynamics in magical societies but you knew that he was still a person with free thought like you were. So it was clear where his priorities lied in the end.

“Ok… I think I understand what happened now. We were together but your family would never approve so you made me lose my memory or something with magic so I’d forget you and now here we are.” You replied blatantly.

His brows furrowed a little in discomfort at your words. Judging by his face you guessed that he felt a little hurt by your emotionless response. But why should you feel anything for this man anymore when he just admitted to throwing you out of his life forever to stay in his family’s good graces? You were intrigued by him in the sense that he used to be a big part of your life. A part that you’re curious to rediscover. However, whatever feelings you once had for him were definitely gone… and you had no intention of reigniting them.

“Yes… now here we are” he repeated slowly, looking into your eyes as though he was dying to say something more.

“Well…” you started while taking in a deep breath. You knew what you had to do now. “The past is just that… it’s not the present. I’m fine with that fact. But I’d be lying if I said I was ready to leave it here. I want my memories back. Not for us or what we used to have but for me… because I need to fill this missing gap in my mind” you said softly.

He was silent for a long while before he finally muttered a reply.

“I’ll see what I can do”.

The air was tense now. A thick uncomfortable feeling hung in the air. You both just looked at each other waiting for something else to be said. You weren’t sure what exactly was going through his mind but as you studied him you found that he looked quite distraught. Not in a very obvious way… no, this man was someone who was used to keeping a straight face, you could tell. But the way his eyes narrowed ever so slightly mixed with the careful furrow of his browns said enough to you. Not to mention the fact that his body was oddly stiff. Like he was so tense not eve his fingers could relax.

You wondered what he was thinking about…

Just as you were about to ask though you heard footsteps coming from outside the door. They were distant but heavy. As though the person responsible for them was walking with purpose.

Draco’s face somehow became even paler as his body jerked into action. He grabbed ahold of your wrist and dragged you into the far corner of the room.

“Whatever happens he can’t see you here” he breathed out anxiously.

Who was he?

You didn’t have time to ask though before Draco was pulling out his wand and mumbling something quickly under his breath.

It felt like you were being squished. Like your whole body was being sucked through a tight vacuum. You couldn’t really see anything but the sensation in itself was nauseating. It only lasted a few seconds at most but it had felt like an eternity.

When you felt yourself on stable ground again and able to breathe you quickly ran into your bathroom and vomited like there was no tomorrow.

Wait a minute… you thought.

Your bathroom?

Looking around you confirmed that you were indeed back in your grandparent’s home, in your room to be precise. But how did you get here so fast?

Walking slowly out of the bathroom you saw that Draco was standing awkwardly by your bed, awaiting your return from the rather unpleasant sight in the next room.

“Sorry, I didn’t really have time to warn you that first-timers usually get sick,” he told you a bit sheepishly.

“What did we just do?” you asked a little bewildered.

“Something magical” he laughed a little.

You rolled your eyes as a smile grew on your face. He was teasing you.

“I gathered that much, thank you!” you huffed before walking over to your bed and plopping down.

He was smiling down at you now and for a moment you seemed to get lost in his expression. Something about his face at that moment… felt almost like home to you.

But you weren’t about to let yourself get caught up in such thoughts.

You cleared your throat a little before glancing to the side at your nightstand. The only thing that sat on it was a small candle and an old digital clock. You weren’t staring for any particular reason other than not wanting to look at him any longer.

Then you suddenly remembered. The pictures. You still had them in your jacket pocket. It may be a little awkward now but you figured he had the right to see them and maybe even shed some light on when each one was taken.

But just as you were reaching into your pocket he spoke.

“I suppose I should be going then”.

You glanced back up to meet his eyes as your hand slowly retreated from your pocket; nothing came with it.

“Okay, I’ll see you again… when you find out how to fix me” you replied with a little chuckle, even though you knew it wasn’t really a laughing matter.

“I promise” He smiled at you softly. He stared at you for what seemed like a long while before turning away and with another mumble of syllables and a loud crack he made himself vanish just as before. Except for this time you stayed where you were.

-

It was three days of complete silence.

Not in the literal sense but you hadn’t heard another word from Draco. You certainly hadn’t gone near his house since. Well, something of that size couldn’t really be called a house but the term was broad enough to you and mansion just felt… so unnatural.

Walking around outside your grandparent’s home you closed your eyes as the sunlight bathed down on you. A slight wind was beginning to pick up and something about the way it rustled your clothes made you feel so free.

Which was a rather welcomed feeling considering how lost and confused you’d been lately. In a way, you wished that you’d never even found that box. Never saw the pictures. Why couldn’t your lost memories just stay that way? But it was too late. Because once you knew they were lost… well, you just had to find them.

When you opened your eyes you jumped back slightly. Shocked to see someone standing maybe fifteen feet from you. It was a woman. She stood so still you could’ve sworn you were imagining it. But she was definitely real. She was tall and thin, quite elegant really, and her long brown hair was done up nicely around her head. She wore a long purple and black dress that wrapped around her body as though it was made just for her. Her skin was pale but not in a sickly way. Overall it was like she was from a completely different world than your own.

You just stared at each other in silence before she simply turned around and started walking away from you.

The whole encounter gave you goosebumps and you felt completely frozen to the spot as you watched her figure slowly fade in the distance.

Who the hell was that?

-

By the time you had finished dinner with your grandparents, it was nearly half-past seven and they were sure to go to bed soon. You, however, had much on your mind. That strange encounter with the woman from earlier was still stuck in your mind. The way she stared at you was almost disturbing… as though she was evaluating you for something. You didn’t bother to ask your grandparent’s about her because you had an inkling that they were just as clueless as you.

Making your way up to your room you decide to try and forget about it so that you could at least have a peaceful night’s sleep.

However, any hope of that vanishes from your mind as soon as you stepped into your room. For there stood in the middle of your room was none other than Draco himself.

His back was to you but he turned as he heard you come in.

“Sorry for the intrusion” he choked out before clearing his throat a little and twisting to face you completely, his hand falling to his side.

Something was off.

As you shut the door behind you, you walked closer to him, studying his features intensely.

His eyes were bloodshot and wet, the surrounding skin was red and puffy. His body was slightly rigid and as your eyes trailed down to his hand you saw that he was holding the pictures of the two of you in his hand.

He was… crying while looking at them.

Your face twisted into confusion which was quickly replaced by pity, as you reached up to touch his face softly.

He jolted a little at your touch as his eyes widened.

You didn’t want to overstep but you couldn’t help it. Whenever someone looked so helpless in front of you it was like you went into a different state of mind completely. Your heart ached as you took in his sorrowful state and you wanted nothing more at that moment but to comfort him.

So without another word, you wiped the lingering tears from his eyes and slowly embraced him.

At first, his body was tense against your own, completely in shock by the sudden contact. But eventually, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around you in return.

“Are you ok?” you asked him in a whisper, still hugging him as you began to rub your hand on his upper back in an attempt to soothe him.

You felt him let out a shaky breath before he sighed a little.

“I’m better now”.

Pulling away from him you looked up to meet his eyes. His face was only inches from yours and for some reason being so close was making you a little nervous. But you didn’t pull away further, not yet anyway.

“I’m glad” you smiled at him.

He stared down at your face with a look of conflict before he began to lean forward slightly.

At first, you were confused but as he got closer you realized what was happening and strangely enough, you didn’t make a move to stop it. Instead, you just stared back at him waiting for the moment his lips would meet yours.

But they never did.

Just before they were about to touch, he stopped himself. He pulled away completely and backed up a few steps before looking away from you.

You watched in confusion as he sighed in frustration and reached up to slide a shaky hand through his well-kept hair, completely messing it up.

Although… admittedly, he still looked good.

“I shouldn’t have done that, I’m sorry,” he said with a notable hint of contempt in his voice.

“You didn’t do anything” you frowned. You weren’t sure if you were upset that he was beating himself up over it or… if it was something else you were disappointed about.

“But I almost did” he replied quickly.

“Draco, really it’s ok. It was just the moment. Don’t worry about it” you said trying to brush the whole thing off. Your feelings were beginning to confuse you.

Did you want him to kiss you?

“I promise I won’t do it again,” he said with a rather serious tone.

You simply nodded in response but didn’t miss the way your heart seemed to ache at his words. What exactly was happening to you?

“I can assure you I didn’t come here to cause such an awkward situation such as that,” he said while looking off to the side a little in disdain.

You raised a curious eyebrow as you studied his expression again.

“What did you come here for then?” you asked.

He turned to face you again as he spoke.

“I’ve found a healer”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN:// Wow! I’m really sorry for the delay on this one. It feels like I’ve just been having the busiest year so far and we’re only in the second month. I neglected my writing for so long that this chapter came out a little rushed but I hope you all like this update regardless. Please let me know what you think and I promise that chapter 4 will come quicker than this one did!!


	4. Chapter 4

“What do you mean by a healer?” was the first question that left your mouth.  
Draco seemed to look at you in surprise before seeming to come to a realization. “Ah, well I suppose you might call them a doctor”.  
You nodded slowly before his words finally began to sink in. This means that you were getting your memory back. All of it. You were finally going to be able to fill in those missing pieces. The pain in your head that never fully went away will finally begin to subside.  
“Will we have to do that magic teleportation thing to get there?” you asked beginning to get a little worried. “I really don’t want to hurl again”. You said with a little frown.  
Draco only chuckled at you in amusement before shaking his head. “Don’t worry, we can take the car this time.”  
“Thank god,” you sighed before you straightened yourself up and clapped your hands together lightly. “Alright, when are we going?”  
“As soon as you’re ready to leave,” he replied calmly while giving you a quick once over.  
He had only looked you up and down for a brief moment but it was enough to cause your stomach to flutter. You were starting to get wrapped up in the fact that he was an attractive boy who you happened to be alone with. But what you were so desperately trying to remind yourself of was that he wasn’t necessarily a stranger to you. This was someone from your past. Someone who had already given you up a long time ago. He may have almost kissed you but really it may just have been because he was in a vulnerable state… then again it was the pictures that made him cry. Nothing really made sense and it was becoming increasingly harder to try and convince yourself that you didn’t care about him at all.  
Because even though you had no memories of him… it was like somewhere in your mind you had missed him?  
“We’re going to go at this hour?” you asked while snapping your attention back to Draco after thinking to yourself for a moment. ”Will the doctors still be taking appointments?”  
You must have said something stupid because Draco just smiled again before giving you a kind of endearing look.  
“Don’t worry, I’ve made a private appointment with her.” He told you while moving towards your bedroom door. “I take it you’re ready to go?” He asked while glancing back at you.  
“Yeah” you mumbled out as the anxiety began to set in. “better now than never”  
-  
The car ride to the “doctor” was a little uncomfortable, to say the least. Neither of you had said a word for the last ten minutes or so and the last thing either of you had said was a half-joking comment from him about how we were traveling there the “muggle way” for your sake. You assumed it was his attempt at trying to deliver some humor to the situation but all it did was remind you just how insane this last week had been.  
You went from discovering you had repressed memories to finding out about magic all in the same day. Not to mention a past relationship and odd lingering feelings. Honestly, it was beginning to weigh down heavily on you.  
You turned your head to the side to glance at Draco. You thought it was kind of funny that he would be driving. Not because you didn’t think he couldn’t but just because he came off to you as the type to have their own personal chauffer. But for all, you knew he did and this was just his way of keeping others out of the situation the two of you were in.  
Yes… this situation.  
Come to think of it. You never really did wrap your head around the reason why he agreed to get your memories back. It was obviously important to him that you had lost them in the first place. He didn’t even have any intentions of seeing you again so why is he going along with it now? Simply because you asked? That didn’t really make sense…  
If you asked would he tell you the truth?  
“You’ve been staring at me for quite a while now,” Draco said briefly shifting his eyes to stare back into yours.  
“Why are you doing this for me?” you asked hesitantly. “Didn’t you want me to forget to begin with?” confusion was etched on your features.  
Draco seemed to tense a little at your question. His knuckles began to turn white as you watched him grip the steering wheel. “You came all this way despite losing your memories… even when I thought I’d never see you again you found your way back to me”. He began with bated breath. “Restoring your memories after you’ve come so far is the least I can do”. He finished.  
You furrowed your brow as you mulled over his words.  
“Besides… once you regain them… I don’t think you’ll want to be near me again.” He added so quietly you almost thought he didn’t mean for you to hear.  
“What do you mean by tha-“  
“We’re here” he interrupted your questioning as he pulled the car next to a rather dingy looking building.  
You decided it was better to not press him further.  
As you stepped out of the car and took in the building before you doubt began to set in your stomach. The building was old and broken. The aging bricks looked as though they would crumble in any given moment, the windows were clouded and dirty, and stone steps had begun to erode in some places.  
Was this really where magical doctors practiced?  
You briefly worried about the state of their healthcare system.  
Glancing at Draco skeptically he seemed to pick up on your worry.  
“Follow me” he chuckled.  
You did as you were told even though you were beginning to question this entire situation. Was it really a good idea to just hop in a car with someone who could be considered a stranger and allow him to drive you to God knows where?  
Perhaps all your recent life events had impacted your judgment.  
Standing behind Draco as he approached the beaten old door, you watched carefully while he briefly checked his surroundings before pulling out his magic stick and pressing it a few times against the door.  
At first, you were unsure of what was supposed to be happening until a soft click noise could be heard coming from the door. Then as if it had a mind of its own, you watched the door slowly creak open to allow you two in.  
Draco didn’t even spare you a glance before stepping inside and you were quick to follow.  
To say that you were surprised was a complete understatement.  
One quick look around the inside and you found that your previous assumption had been way off. The floors were a sparkling polished white marble, the walls clean and neatly decorated with various paintings, tasteful plants were spotted throughout the area and as you studied them closer you found that they were rather odd in appearance, there were large brown couches for waiting on and neatly done coffee tables placed in front of them, and on those tables were various magazines and newspapers all with moving pictures on them.  
You gaped at your surroundings before you noticed that Draco was starting to walk towards what you presumed to be the reception desk.  
“Hello I have an appointment set with Ms. Snipebane” he spoke calmly.  
“Of course, let me inform her that you’ve arrived” the woman behind the counter replied quickly.  
As Draco stood at the counter you let your eyes wander to follow some of the people who you assumed were staff at this... was hospital the right word? They all looked very well kept and orderly. All clean clothes and nice haircuts. None of them seemed to pay you any mind either. These people belonged to a completely different world than you and yet they had no clue.  
“C’mon” you heard Draco speak next to you, breaking you out of your thoughts as he gently nudged you to follow him.  
A rather tall red-headed woman led the two of you down a narrow white hallway before making two left turns and stopping in front of a rather crisp looking door.  
Glancing to the side of it you read a golden plaque that was proudly placed on the wall. It gleamed, “Wanda Snipebane”.  
The redhead knocked her fist sharply against the door three times before it swung open revealing a young woman. She was beautiful. A model like figure and perfect skin. You were sure you were staring because she cleared her throat and smirked at you slightly.  
“Draco, how good to see you, come in” she spoke softly as she stepped aside to let you both in.  
“Have a seat, you two” the woman spoke as she gestured to a purple leather loveseat sat adjacent to her desk.  
Sitting down quickly you couldn’t help but feel as though you were out of place. There were more odd plants sat along the windowsill and a few fuzzy books on her bookshelf. You weren’t usually one to judge the appearance of things like books. But usually, they weren’t bound in fur and scales. Looking closer you could even swear you saw one move. Hopefully, it didn’t have teeth as well you briefly mused.  
Your thoughts were interrupted by the woman clearing her voice as she sat down across from the two of you.  
“Now… quite frankly, I never thought that I’d see you in here again Mr. Malfoy” she spoke with a smile. One that read concern and not amusement.  
You weren’t sure why.  
Glancing at Draco you saw him purse his lips. “Yes, well… as you can probably guess I’d like to pick up where we left off last time.” He spoke curtly. “This time I think that you’ll find an answer much quicker as… well, she’s here with me now” he finished while making a slight gesture towards you.  
Just then the doctor’s eyes were studying you intently as a sad sort of smile adorned her face.  
“Ahh, I thought that might be the case,” she said to you leaning slightly forward. “Tell me, dear, why do you think you’re here?”  
You didn’t notice the lump in your throat before she called on you to speak but now it was as if you couldn’t swallow it.  
With a heavy sigh, you began to speak, “Well, it seems that I’ve had my memory erased. I don’t remember much of anything, just some flashes here and there. I suppose I wouldn’t have even known I was missing any memories if it wasn’t for the pain that comes with it.”  
The doctor’s eyes grew large at your words. “Pain you say?” she questioned eagerly.  
“Yes, certain things seem to trigger memories but they’re hard to make out and the longer I see them the more intense the pain grows. Like a throbbing in my head that will never end.”  
“And what exactly is it that triggers these random memories, if you don’t mind me asking?”  
You most certainly did mind as the topic itself was a little embarrassing in hindsight. “Not at all” however, is what you replied. “The first time it was triggered was when I found some old photos that I don’t remember taking. Except I was in them… and so was he” you spoke softer while nodding your head towards Draco. “I couldn’t make sense of it at first… how could I have pictures of memories I don’t have? Of a boy, I didn’t even know… Next thing I knew I was in an unbelievable amount of pain as brief flashes of memories started pounding in my mind”.  
Ms. Snipebane looked rather enthralled in your story as she began to scribble some things down on a notepad.  
“Then what did you do after that?” she asked curiously. “It’s to my understanding that you’re from and currently live in America, correct? So how did you end up here?”  
The fact that she obviously knew you before you even entered this room struck you as a little unsettling but it was the least interesting of all the mysteries currently in your life, so you let it slide.  
“Well, the box I found the pictures in was full of other things from the summer I lived with my grandparent’s in England. I could even see their house in the background of one of the photos. I remembered that trip and almost everything in that box except for a few items and those photos. But I knew I wouldn’t find answers there so I packed up my things and came to my grandparent’s house. I figured it was a start to solving this mystery” you told her, beginning to relax. 

“Fascinating” was all she said before her gaze shifted to Draco for just the slightest moment.  
You so desperately wanted to turn fully and see what kind of look he had on his face.  
Ms. Snipebane then stood from her chair and made her way over to where the two of you sat.  
“Do you mind if I check something, dear?” she asked you with a gentle smile.  
“Go right ahead” you replied mentally preparing yourself for whatever this magical lady was about to do.  
Just as you had predicted she pulled a wand from the inside of her coat. The tip of the wand began to glow as she whispered something in Latin and raised it towards your head. You almost expected it to hurt but instead, all you felt was a little tingle.  
She stared at you intensely as her wand moved about areas of your head. You glanced to the side to see Draco watching you too, a sort of fascinated look on his face.  
You began to worry just what it was they were looking at when she stepped back.  
“Well” she started with a tight-lipped sort of smile “as you know, the good news is, reversing an obliviation is doable. Not to mention the fact that somehow her mind is already trying to do it for her. I’ve never seen such a thing” she noted.  
“And the bad news?” Draco asked looking a little tense.  
“The bad news,” she said while clearing her throat lightly “Is that the process to complete a reversal is not so easy. I’ve only seen it done once before when I was studying in Australia. It might take me some time to acquire all the necessary knowledge needed to perform it.”  
“When will that be?” Draco pressed; subtle irritation laced in his voice.  
Ms. Snipebane gave him a sort of pitiful smile before her eyes fell upon you again. “For you dear, I’ll have it ready in two weeks’ time”.  
~  
Draco told you to wait back in the lobby as he spoke to Ms. Snipebane about a few more things. You didn’t like the idea of them talking about you behind your back so obviously. Just because you don’t know anything about magic doesn’t mean you an idiot when it comes to everything else.  
Sitting in the lobby with all the magical folk, you couldn’t help but feel like you were secretly being watched. Like they all knew you weren’t one of them. A little voice inside your head was telling you to just get up and leave. To forget about even recovering these memories. You were perfectly fine before even discovering you’d lost them.  
Weren’t you?  
“Let’s go” came Draco’s voice from beside you. The fact that you hadn’t even heard him approach you made your heart race a little in surprise. But you made no outer reaction. Instead, you just stood with a nod as you followed him out the door.  
Getting back into the car the silence quickly became too much to handle and without really thinking it through you turned to Draco and blurted out that you needed to talk.  
“Of course” was all he responded with, looking a little sheepish.  
“How did she know so much about me already?” you asked letting out a little huff. “I know she didn’t say a whole lot when I was there but that’s just the problem. She didn’t ask me much because she already knew everything didn’t she?”  
You were staring at Draco with a sort of stern look. Trying to appear confident and resolved. He only bit his lip slightly before glancing in the rearview mirror and cursing slightly under his breath.  
Next thing you knew he was swinging the car right in a sharp turn as he veered onto an empty street.  
You looked around a little nervously. If this didn’t look like the perfect place to hack somebody to bits then you’d be dammed.  
“I spoke about you to her when I wrote the letter arranging for the appointment. I had to tell her everything I knew about you so she’d be able to do some research ahead of time. I didn’t want her prodding you with a million questions upon first meeting. I had a feeling you might get a little overwhelmed.” Draco said while lowering his hands from the steering wheel and turning to meet your eyes.  
Well, that was kind of considerate of him, you supposed. But that begged the question of why he felt he could trust her so much if his whole family hated you and the wizarding world had some sort of blood class system.  
“You obviously trust her a lot,” you said while forming the rest of your thoughts “and it was clear you knew each other well before. How were you so sure she’d be willing to help?” you asked genuinely curious.  
Draco let out a dry chuckle. “Let’s just say her forte is fixing broken people. I knew she would be willing to help me simply because I’m her favorite client.”  
She liked to fix broken people? Well, that explained why she’d be interested in you. But, Draco’s comment regarding himself left a heavy feeling in your chest.  
“Family issues?” you asked, hoping you weren’t crossing a line.  
“Amongst other things” he replied.  
You could tell the topic was something he wasn’t ready to share yet so you moved on from it.  
“What will you do after I regain my memory?” you questioned him, curious to know what he had been thinking the last couple of days.  
He looked a bit taken back by the question, as though he hadn’t even considered it before.  
“Well… I suppose I just assumed you’d go back home after remembering how things ended between us and I would continue with my… previous engagements.” He said trailing off a little at the end.  
The statement had you puzzled. You wanted to question with these previous engagements were or even maybe who they were… but the first part was a much more pressing matter.  
“What was it that happened between us in the end? That’s the second time you’ve mentioned me leaving after finding out the truth… what did you do to me that was so horrible?” you gave him a serious look as you could tell he was starting to get uncomfortable again. “You might as well tell me now considering I’m bound to find out in a few weeks anyway.”  
He seemed to consider this.  
“I said things to you… in an effort to make you hate me. Things that I… can never take back” he said.  
“Did you mean them?” you asked.  
“No, never” was his quick response. Looking into his steely eyes you could tell there was sincerity in them.  
“Then I’ll keep that in mind” you responded before you both grew silent.  
With that, he started the car again and began to drive.  
The rest of the ride home was quiet as you both seemed to be thinking deeply. When he dropped you back at your grandparent’s house he simply wished you a good night before driving away again. You knew there was so much left unsaid between the two of you but you figured all truths would be eventually exposed.  
Looking up at the dark night sky as you walked up the path to your grandparent’s house you felt incredibly small.  
You weren’t sure what time it was but you knew you were much too anxious to sleep anytime soon.  
As you neared your door you suddenly stopped. You had the most intense rush of fear rush through you out of nowhere. It was like you could feel someone watching you.  
Without giving it much thought you whipped your head to the right and stared out into the distant field. At first, you saw nothing as your eyes strained to focus in the dark. But, then you could make it out. The eerie silhouette of a woman standing in the distance, maybe only a hundred feet away. You knew in your gut it was the same woman from before.  
Terror coursed through you as you quickly started to fumble for your keys to unlock the door. In true horror movie fashion, you dropped them just as you were about to stick the key into the hole. Your hands were shaking like crazy as a thousand thoughts coursed through your mind. A voice inside your head was practically screaming for you to run.  
You bent down to pick them up and as you stood you heard a voice whisper from behind you as a chill ran down your spine.  
“Care for a chat?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don't have much of an excuse for taking so long to release this update. But I was struck with such a rush of inspiration out of nowhere while I was driving home today. I just knew I had to continue this asap so I could see my vision come to life. There's so much I want to do with this story still, I hope you all will stick around to see it. Thank you for waiting! :)

**Author's Note:**

> AN:// Ahhhh I’m so excited to finally start this one! I’ve got a lot of ideas for it so far and I really hope you all enjoyed this first chapter. So much is going to happen in future updates, I promise!


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